DHAKA — Turkey’s Okan University Hospital plans to open an in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment hospital in Bangladesh, where there is no specialized government infertility hospital and patients increasingly travel abroad for expensive fertility care, officials said.
Over the past several years, 25 assisted reproductive technology IVF centers have been set up across Bangladesh, including Dhaka, with success cases. Yet most patients still travel to neighboring India for treatment, and more are now going to Turkey. The high costs are driving large sums of money out of the country every year.
Okan University Hospital operates facilities in several countries including the United States and Germany, and now wants to open a similar facility in Bangladesh, sources said. TurkishDoc, the only medical tourism company in Bangladesh authorized by the Turkish government, will implement and run the project. If all goes to plan, the hospital will be built by late 2026.
According to TurkishDoc, the hospital will cost about 100 crore taka (about $8.2 million) to build. For at least the first two years, Turkish doctors will work alongside Bangladeshi physicians, sharing technology and hands-on training. After that, Bangladeshi doctors will run the facility.
There are no exact figures on the number of Bangladeshi couples affected by infertility or how many travel abroad for treatment, reproductive health specialists said. A 2023 World Health Organization report said about 17.5% of couples worldwide experience infertility — up to 17.8% in developed countries and 16.5% in low- and middle-income countries such as Bangladesh.
Professor Dr. Rashida Begum, founder of the Infertility Care and Research Centre and secretary general of the Fertility and Sterility Society of Bangladesh, said about one-third of those with infertility issues in lower-middle-income countries go abroad for treatment.
More than 1 million Bangladeshi patients travel abroad for medical treatment each year, with a large share going for fertility care, mainly to India and Singapore, where treatment costs 25 to 30 lakh taka, sources said. More Bangladeshis are now turning to Turkey, including some who travel on tourist or business visas outside government-approved channels.
Through TurkishDoc, more than 150 people have traveled to Turkey for liver, kidney and infertility treatment since last year, about 30% of them for infertility, the company said. Turkey provides top-quality care at 10% to 15% less than Singapore, with combined treatment, lodging and travel costs of 8 to 10 lakh taka, the company said.
M. Nuruzzaman Raju, country head of TurkishDoc, said Bangladesh has several IVF centers and hospitals, and some are providing good care. “Many couples with long-standing problems are getting results, but it is not enough,” he said. “A large share is still going abroad, and many Bangladeshis are now going to Turkey. Of those who travel to Turkey through TurkishDoc, 30% go for infertility treatment. A huge amount of money is leaving the country. We want that money to stay in the country.”
Two private Turkish companies are interested in building the hospital and have already taken policy decisions, Raju said. The hospital is planned to open by late 2026, with plans for bone marrow and liver transplants and other complex treatments later. “Since we have started medical tourism, we have data on how many Bangladeshis are going to Turkey and other countries. So investment will be easier,” he said. “If any Bangladeshi individual or institution wants to take part in this investment, we will welcome it.”
Raju said Bangladesh still lags in the use of the most advanced technology. The hospital will bring experienced Turkish doctors to Bangladesh to share knowledge, and Bangladeshi doctors interested in training in Turkey will be supported, he said.
Faik Goksu, chief executive of TurkishDoc, said in an interview that Turkey has become one of the top countries for world-class health care over the past two decades. “Today, many Turkish hospitals have surpassed European institutions in advanced technology, infection control, ethical medical practices and clinical expertise,” he said. “Our goal is to share this knowledge and experience with Bangladesh. There are deep historical, cultural and humanitarian ties between Turkey and Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a fast-developing country with a large young population, but its health system still cannot fully meet public demand.”
Goksu said infertility is a deeply emotional and social issue in Bangladesh, with rising demand for trustworthy care. “TurkishDoc offers a model that is ethically and Islamically acceptable and scientifically advanced,” he said. “Our IVF protocols in Turkey have a success rate of more than 70%, and all treatments use only the couple’s own genetic material, which is fully consistent with Islamic medical ethics. Our new project in Bangladesh is not just a clinic but a joint reference center where Turkish and Bangladeshi specialists will work together. The first phase will start with IVF, genetic screening and women’s health care. In the second phase, we will introduce liver, kidney and bone marrow transplant coordination programs.”
Turkey wants to act not only as a care provider but as a strategic partner transferring knowledge, technology and ethical standards, Goksu said. TurkishDoc plans doctor training programs, joint medical centers, digital consultation systems and advanced surgical technology transfers in Bangladesh.
Asked about challenges in Bangladesh’s health sector, Goksu said: “Bangladesh has a big problem of weak management despite adequate infrastructure, technological limitations and a shortage of specialist personnel. The buildings and structures of hospitals are good, but high infection rates, limited use of advanced diagnostics and a lack of safety protocols in surgery have eroded public trust. That is where we want to bring change — by integrating Turkish medical technology into Bangladeshi hospitals, introducing remote diagnosis and second-opinion systems and creating joint surgery and training models between Turkish and Bangladeshi doctors. As an example, Turkey’s globally recognized zero-infection surgical model will be applied in Bangladesh, so patients receive safe, fast and affordable care.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report